Hong Kong Eastern kept their Asean Basketball League finals record intact with a comfortable 73-60 win over Saigon Heat in Vietnam on Tuesday night. The win Nguyen Du Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City secured the club's second ABL championship in as many finals appearances, after winning in their debut season in 2017. Victory also put Eastern on par with two-time champions Hi-Tech Bangkok City as the only teams with multiple championships. After his side's heaviest loss in the campaign, an 18-point hammering to the Heat in Game 2 on Sunday, Eastern head coach Zeljko Pavlicevic stuck with his usual lineup and the side seemed focus from the tip-off, with Tonny Trocha-Morelos (208-F/C, college: Texas A&M) unstoppable in the opening quarter. The 28-year-old knocked down three shots from behind the arc to chip in 13 of his team-high 19 points as his side eased to a 24-9 after the first quarter. But the best defensive team in the league slowed down in the second quarter, and the hosts answered with a 14-7 run to cut the deficit. With McLaughlin already on three personal fouls, Saigon attacked the paint after the restart looking to make a comeback. But a pair of three pointers from Trocha-Morelos and Chan ensured Eastern headed into the final quarter with a 54-43 lead. Backup point guard Xu Oliver (190-G-1996, college: Rice) chipped in six points to keep Eastern going in the fourth. Eastern never trailed and went on to hold off their opponents in the closing stages for an easy 13-point win.
Courtesy of: scmp.com

Finals MVP: Tonny Trocha-Morelos (208-F/C) of HK Eastern
Finals Best Defensive Player: Chris McLaughlin (208-C) of HK Eastern
Player of the Year: Kentrell Barkley (195-G/F-1996) of Singapore S.
Guard of the Year: Kentrell Barkley (195-G/F-1996) of Singapore S.
Forward of the Year: Isaiah Wade (6'7''-PF-1998) of Macau
Center of the Year: Chris McLaughlin (208-C) of HK Eastern
Import Player of the Year: Kentrell Barkley (195-G/F-1996) of Singapore S.
Defensive Player of the Year: Chris McLaughlin (208-C) of HK Eastern
Coach of the Year: Zeljko Pavlicevic of HK Eastern

Asia-Basket.com All-ASEAN League First Team 2023

Gilyard II

Barkley

Gilbert

Wade

McLaughlin

First Team
Evan Gilyard II (178-G-1998) of Saigon Heat
Kentrell Barkley (195-G/F-1996) of Singapore S.
Dominic Gilbert (198-G/F) of HK Eastern
Isaiah Wade (6'7''-PF-1998) of Macau
Chris McLaughlin (208-C) of HK Eastern

Asia-Basket.com All-ASEAN League Second Team 2023

Holder

Abrom

Leung

Combs

Gettys

Second Team
JR Holder (198-SG-1994) of Saigon Heat
De'Quan Abrom (188-SG-1996) of Macau
Jenning Leung (183-G-1995) of Macau
Jeremy Combs (201-C/F-1995) of Saigon Heat
C.J. Gettys (213-C-1994) of Singapore S.

Asia-Basket.com All-ASEAN League Honorable Mention 2023

Trocha-Morelos

Bassett

Glass

Williams

Ting

Arthur

Honorable Mention
Tonny Trocha-Morelos (208-F/C) of HK Eastern
O'Darien Bassett (187-G-1986) of HK Eastern
Tevin Glass (203-C-1994) of NS Matrix
Amir Williams (6'11''-C-1992) of NS Matrix
Chun-Hong Ting (193-G-1996) of NS Matrix
Jeremy Arthur (199-F-1994) of Zamboanga
Jose Nouchanthavong (187-G) of Tigers
Jamarr Johnson (198-SF-1988) of Louvre S.